#But Leto’s actual plan was for him to marry her

[theology101]

THUFIR??!??

HES MY BABY GIRL????

i need every man in dune to get in a line so i can smack each of them across the face

[plutoswritingplanet]

It's A Special Death You Saved (Feyd Rautha Harkonnen x Female!Reader) pt.1

a/n: i had a "no bald men" rule before he licked a knife... so y'all know my priorities are in order. Cross-Posted on AO3

Warnings: Dub-Con (as per usual), Arranged Marriage, Reader is an Atreides (it's just such a good prompt i couldn't help myself),

Summary: A month-long engagement to the na-Baron Harkonnen makes you question, whether a marriage can bloom on the grounds of hate. Loosely based on "Special Death" by Mirah.

Pt.2, Pt.3 Pt.4 (finale)

The message comes from the Emperor himself. An indisputable order that renders your Father speechless. You've never seen him quite as distraught, as when he has visited you in your chambers to deliver the news. Hands fidgeting, eyes refusing to meet yours, heavy shadows falling across his face. He seems to expect your reaction, not giving you as much as a flinch, when you scream your protests at him. And he should've expected as much, you were always the more impulsive of Duke Leto's children. 

- But the Harkonnens are beasts - you argue, voice breaking - You've said it yourself, many times.

- Actually, I think that was Gurney...

- You've never denied it!

And he doesn't deny it now, head hung low. Never, not once in your life, have you seen your Father give up. Until today. 

Your Mother enters just a few seconds after him, her dress flowing around her ankles as if she had floated in on a cloud. She stands to the side of your bed, hands folded, and an impassive expression embedded onto her features. And the more she speaks of the centuries of breeding, the importance of an union and the powers beyond your understanding, the less you see of your mother. What stands before you, instead, is a Bene Gesserit sister, veiled in schemes and dark plans, which were in the making before you were even born. You curse yourself for not noticing this stranger sooner, and storm off, out of your room, your shawl blowing out behind you like bat wings.

Paul doesn't visit you, but you can hear him, even through the effort of swallowing down your tears. He fights for you against your Father. He would fight for you against the whole Empire if he had to, and your heart swells, as he throws a particularly nasty curse into the air of your Father's study. It doesn't change anything. According to the decree of the Emperror, the oldest daughter of the Duke Leto Atreides will marry Feyd Rautha, an heir to the Baron Harkonnen. A centuries long dispute is about to be put to an end, and all thanks to the small sacrifice, which is your life. All would be well in the galaxy. Really, you should be honored, to be tasked with such a monumental peace treaty.

Everyone in the court seems to know about your situation. Mournful looks follow you, as you walk into the training barracks, ridding yourself of layers upon layers of flowing fabrics, leaving you in a rather tight costume, light enough to beat your frustrations out on someone.

Duncan Idaho meets your searching eyes, and you know he is aware as well. All it takes is one inclination of your chin, and he's up on his feet, sword in hand. Loyal as ever, he stands in front of you, watches with mixed feelings as you enable your shield, no questions asked. None needed. 

He barely has time to put his defenses up, when you charge at him, fury and despair pushing your movements into stances which are clumsy and ill though out. Still, there's power within your strikes, a strength of someone who needs to move, unless they break. So he lets you, for a couple of minutes. He dodges your attacks, pairing some of them, never moving quite into the offense.

The rest of the soldiers scurry off somewhere, for which you will be thankful in the future. They might hear your cries of anger, but they will not see you break. They will not see the way your blade smashes into Duncan's shield over and over again, with no regard for the slow attacks, which would penetrate it. Likewise, they don't see your sparring partner fall to his knees and swipe you off your feet in a split-second movement, making you hit the floor with a frustrated snarl. And they don't see you finally give up, and cry, hugging your blade to your chest, the severity of your circumstance falling onto you, crushing you down.

- Never fight in anger, Princess - Duncan reminds you, voice cautious, and you growl at him like a wild animal - It dulls your instincts, makes you distracted.

- Did you know? - you demand, your sharp voice cutting through his half-assed lecture.

For a moment he looks truly remorseful. His eyes float around the room, and your heart sinks when he sighs deeply.

- I found out not long ago - he confesses - Your Father told me. 

Your blade slides against the floor as you throw it, a raw scream tearing through your throat. Duncan takes a step towards you, hand extended towards your shaking form. But, before he can attempt to touch you, you're up, rolling your shoulders forcefully. Tears stain your cheeks, and you wipe them roughly with the back of your hand, skin becoming irritated almost instantly. There are swords laid out on a small table, just beside you,  your fingers grip the cold handle so hard, your knuckles seem to creak under the pressure. Duncan readies himself as well, dusting off his trousers. 

He's not good at comforting, but he's the best at fighting, and if that's what you need in this cold morning, he'll oblige. 

- You'll make it through, you know - he says, his voice genuine, and you laugh without any mirth.

Your blades clash, faces coming closer as you absentmindedly notice small scars adorning his cheeks.

- You can adapt to anything - you strike against his shoulder, the shield pushes your blade away - We could send you to Arrakis right now, and a week later you'd be riding a damned Sandworm into battle.

To that, you laugh, this time your smile reaching your eyes. The idea is preposterous, but it renders your footsteps lighter, and you twist to dodge a nasty blow to the right arm. Duncan huffs a laugh as well, as you slip through his fingers. He points his blade in your direction, a smirk playing across his lips, and you bare your teeth in a playful display of wildness.

- Careful, Princess, you might scare your betrothed away - Duncan teases, as you roll your dagger in your hand.

- Scare a damned Harkonnen? Do you find me that intimidating? - the idea thrills you just a little bit, you're woman enough to admit it.

- I think you're fucking terrifying.

- Duncan Idaho, you better not be swearing at my Daughter.

Your face falls immediately, as your Father approaches the two of you, shooting Duncan a stern gaze which holds no real threat. Still, your sparring partner raises his hands, his blade tucked away safely into his belt. There's sweat clinging to your skin from all the training, mingling with drying tears on your cheeks, and Duke Leto tries very hard not to comment on your choice of processing recent events. Still, he nods at you, and like a good daughter, you put your blade away, walking from the barracks after him. 

***

The Emperor has called for a traditional, Atreides engagement. A mercy, which you're eternally grateful for. You're not too aware of Harkonnen customs regarding marriage, but given the House's reputation, it couldn't have been pleasant. House Atreides however, took to such matters much more ceremonially, old-fashioned to some. 

Soon, a ship is arriving, with your betrothed onboard, and a month-long courting period willcommence. After that, official engagement and soon after, a wedding. Then, you will be transported back on Geidis Prime, where a life of misery awaits. That's all the time you have. A month.  

The dress, which was picked out for you, is uncomfortable and shows both too much and too little skin at the same time. While your legs are bare and exposed to an almost scandalous degree, a high, stiff collar nearly chokes the life out of you. This whole getup was the idea of your mother, as an attempt to highlight your best features and hide all that might be considered less desirable. 

You have no idea what's wrong with your neck. Perhaps, by cutting off your airflow, your mother aimed to keep you docile. 

She frowns deeply as you tug on the fabric, nerves climbing up your spine, growing more desperate every second. She swats at your hand, and you throw her a look. Out of the corner of your eye Paul smiles at your antics, your only consolation in this hopeless place. 

- Stop fidgeting, you'll tear the dress - Lady Jessica scolds you, and you can sense actual worry underlining her stern voice.

The Harkonnen ship slowly glides into the atmosphere of your home planet, a black, awful thing. Like all things on Geidis Prime, dark and miserable. Soon, you'll join them, adorned in equally black and lifeless clothing, never to see your family again. Never to see the Ocean. Your nails bite into the collar of the dress, you can hear a stitch tear.

- Stop that.

Your hands fall uselessly against your body, as your mother uses the Voice on you. Wouldn't be the first time, you were quite the unruly daughter and Lady Jessica was determined to make a Lady out of you no matter the means. Still, this time, the unnatural tone feels more like a panicked plea,  than a light-hearted scolding. 

- Relax Mother - your voice is sharp, despite the slight tremble - In a months time I'll be gone from here forever, stuck in some blackened cell, wistfully sighing "ooh" "aah".

You place your hand on your forehead in a dramatic display of doubtful acting abilities. When you were younger, your mother would laugh at you, as you enacted scenes from romance books. You would throw yourself at a nearby piece of furniture, pretending to be some wronged lover, or an unhappy bride waiting for someone to liberate her. And your mother would clap her hands, thoroughly entertained.

Today however, she doesn't even crack a smile.

- I don't expect you to be happy about all this - she whispers - But I do expect you to wear your grief with some grace.

A slap would've been kinder, you think, and stare ahead, as the Harkonnen ship opens, and a group of people dressed in black spill out of it like ants from a drowning anthill. Your heart is thrumming hard in your chest, and your hand reaches out, despite all your apprehension, towards your mother. A force of habit, to search consolation within her disregarding the fact, that it was her meddling that put you here. 

Her fingers lace with yours, thumb stroking your palm in an attempt to soothe you. 

Immediately, you know which one of the bald headed Harkonnen is your betrothed. 

He's much taller than you, an imposing figure even despite his rather lean built. His skin is almost completely white, as expected, his teeth are blackened out, as expected as well, and his eyes are bearing into you with an intensity so oppressing, you almost look away. Almost. 

- I present to you, Feyd Rautha, the na-Baron of House Harkonnen. 

The pale man steps forward, releasing you from his gaze for only just a moment, to trade pleasantries with your Father, who looks beyond miserable as he fixes your soon-to-be husband with a tired look. Then, Feyd Rautha is brought before you.

There's grace to his movements you did not expect, as he pushes his black cloak aside, and kneels in front of you. Harkonnen were known for their bulky ruthlessness, but this one... This one reminded you of a panther, the way his eyes travelled the length of your body, full lips pulling upward into a barely noticable smirk. 

Customs, you remind yourself, as your mother's hand squeezes your fingers. You don't want to let her go, but you do, slowly, with so many mixed thoughts rattling around your brain, it makes your head swim. 

Feyd Rautha grabs your extended hand in such a gentle manner, you're almost convinced the Harkonnens have shaved some poor bastard and dropped him off instead of the real na-Baron. Then, he lifts your palm up, until his lips press against your fingertips, a gesture so tender, your heart does a flip in your chest. And then, it stops all together, when his grip on your palm tightens, and he pulls your hand closer, to kiss it properly. As if he can't help himself, he looks up at you, and you realize. 

You almost got yourself caught, but reading people's intentions have been taught to you as fervently as reading texts, and you can see right through this facade of chivalry. There's darkness in this man, a swirling void, which brings a wave of cold fear upon you. This cunning, depraved creature will soon enough become your husband, and you'll be stuck with him forever. How long will he keep up this impeccable appearence? Was this performence for you, your Father, his own twisted fun, or all the things combined?

With a furrowed brow, you tear your hand out of his grasp, a full body shiver running up your spine at the sight of his self-satisfied smirk. He drinks up your reactions like a man parched, and you fight hard to put on a mask of indifference, as he rises from his knees to stand before you in all his imposing glory.

***

You can feel his eyes follow you, as the welcome committee retreats into the Palace. He doesn't let you out of his sight throughout the feast, which takes place immediately after his arrival, and even now, as he gets ready to "entertain" the court by indulging in some barbaric ceremony of his, his eyes are trained only on you. 

It's uncomfortable, to say the least, having him stare at you, while you sit surrounded by your family, who, for the most part, say nothing. Except Paul. Your dear baby brother, your protector in all this madness. As Feyd Rautha throws his coat to the side, showing off his (admittedly impressive) muscles, Paul leans towards you.

- He looks like a hard boiled egg, don't you think sister? - he whispers and subsequently ends your vow of silence. 

The giggle you let out is caught quickly by everyone around, your betrothed included, before you press an open palm against your lips. 

- Behave - your mother warns, and you try, you really do.

But in the serene light of the fading sun, your soon-to-be husband's head does look frighteningly egg-ish. God, you'll get yourself killed, before the wedding ceremony is even resolved if you keep this up.

You're seated high in an outdoor theater. One of your grandfather's favorite places, where he used to dance with bulls for sport. Where he met his demise.

Feyd Rautha presents his knives to you and your family, their blades glint ominously in the setting sun. Again, you are struck with the sheer grace this man exudes. His movements, despite being forceful and wild, have a beauty to them, as if he was rehearsing ancient dance moves, rather than killing blows.

And, despite your brother's earlier comment, there is something enticing in the way his pale skin catches the rays of bleeding sunshine, slowly creeping towards the horizon. He's almost beautiful, almost handsome enough to consider. 

The thought leaves your head almost immediately, as the Harkonnen servants bring in his apparent opponent. Your heart drops to your stomach at the sight of a beaten, dark skinned warrior. Immediately you recognize a Fremen, you've read so much about them in your free time. You know how they filter water, what they eat, how they move through the sands, and despite your knowledge you can't fathom, why this poor man has been brought here. 

At your side, Paul shifts in his seat, all jokes leaving him in a hurry. The both of you watch, as the man you're promised to toys with a clearly drugged victim. Slashes bloom on the prisoners skin, blood sprays in the air. You refuse to look away, to show such weakness, even as Feyd Rautha grabs the poor man by his hair and with a forceful push impales his throat on the blade. Blood pours down onto the sand, paints the Harkonnen's face and chest a deep shade of red.

It's a brutal display of power, of cruelty and wildness the Harkonnens are known for. Suddenly, everything Gurney has warned you about, while training your fighting skills, rings like a thousand of bells in your ears. This is who you will marry, who you will spend your entire life with. 

You swallow down an urge to throw up, and stand up from your seat. 

The show must go on, you think, throwing your Mother one, venomous look, trying to force her to understand your pain. Then, you lock eyes with your betrothed, who watches you from below with a cruel smile, blackened teeth on full display. You meant to congratulate him, to play the part as instructed, but you can do nothing of the sort. Instead, you stare back at him, disgust flowing from your features like a broken faucet. 

Lady Jessica opens her mouth, but before she can, without a doubt, scold you again, you're out of the seating area, your footsteps echoing in the halls. 

Once you're sufficiently tucked away from prying eyes, your back hits the wall, and you allow yourself feel the luxury of unbridled panic. Your breathing comes out in fast, shallow pants, as cold sweat forms on your forehead. Thoughts racing, your fingers tangle into your hair, tugging at the roots. This is your future, the only future waiting for you, and it's filled wth pain and blood.

- Have you enjoyed the fight, my Lady? - you immediately know it's him, despite not hearing him speak before.

A gasp of surprise leaves you before you can catch it, and your back straightens almost painfully fast. 

There he stands, tall and lean, and terrifying. Blood still decorates his torso creating a contrast that is both terrifying and hypnotizing. He watches you, curiosity and humor swirling behind his eyes. You can't decide whether they are completely blackened out, or if they hold a blue, almost serene hue. 

- No - you answer, finding your voice entirely too shaky for your liking - I did not enjoy it.

He laughs, a guttural, low sound that makes the hair stand at the back of your neck. You know he wouldn't dare try anything here, right under your Father's nose while the engagement is still in the making. Yet, as you stand frozen, just you, him and the marble walls around you, dread finds home in the pit of your stomach.

- Was that man Fremen? - you ask, partially to fill the silence, partially because you're genuinely curious.

The man shrugs, you can see muscles moving under his white skin. He takes a step towards you and you will yourself not to run.

- Sometimes we bring a couple of captured desert rats home - he explains with a nonchalant tone - Mostly for entertainment.

The almost bored intonation he uses to describe this barbaric ritual makes something boil deep inside you. 

- That's cruel - you counter, emotions flowing freely onto your face, much to the man's delight - To deny those men the honor of dying on their home planet. To drag them into a completely foreign place, just to kill them for sport, like some animals... It's...

- Some of them live - he cuts you off, taking another couple of steps towards you, but in your growing outrage, you barely notice - Our brothels are filled with Fremen whores.

Your face twist into an expression of utter repulsion, and Feyd Rautha raises his eyebrows in a pathetic mask of confusion, almost childlike giddiness lighting up his eyes as he looks down at you.

- Oh, don't give me that look, my Lady. - he cooes, and you've never felt a stronger urge to slap the daylights out of someone - I know for a fact there are brothels on your planet filled with hungry soldiers.

- Yes - you bark back at him - but the people there are working prostitutes, not slaves!

He shrugs, looking somewhere to the side of your face.

- A waste of money, if you'd ask me.

- Good thing no one has - there's venom in your voice, and your betrothed sucks a breath through his teeth.

You curse yourself for leaving your dagger, for not concealing it somewhere in this ridiculous dress, because the way the Harkonnen's expression shifts freezes blood right in your veins. 

He looks at you, amusement tugging at the corners of his lips, while something much darker lurks in his eyes. His bloodied hand comes up, finger making contact with the exposed skin of your shoulder. You can feel the thick liquid stick to your flesh, as he drags his hand down, painting you, marking you.

- You're quite the little viper, my Lady.

Watching him silently, you don't respond. Don't know how to, when he closes the distance between your bodies enough to make you feel the heat radiating off of his chest, while the smell of blood and sweat completely assaults your senses. It's sickening, the way he looks at you, like you're a new toy, just waiting to be unpacked and destroyed by too eager hands. 

- My Uncle, the Baron, has instructed me, to be the utmost gentleman to you. To woo you completely - his voice is low, barely above a whisper, as he grins down at you - But I just can't lie to my future wife like that, can I?

He leans closer and finally, you take a step back, sliding out of his space, assessing a cautious stance. His hand almost follows you, the skin of your shoulder feels conflictingly cold without him.

- Once we're wed, I will possess you completely - this time you stand your ground, as he approaches, circling you like a lion stalking it's prey - And then...

He leans down beside you, shoulder to your shoulder, close enough for you to feel his hot breath graze your ear.

- Like the bull that took your grandfather's life, I shall pierce you.

The violent innuendo doesn't slip past you, and with hatred brewing behind your eyes, you look straight at him, forcing your fear to lay dormant. 

- You're disgusting.

- And you're blushing like a lovely, virgin bride should - he concludes, sending an awful wink your way, before withdrawing from you completely. 

Your veins burn hot, as you watch him leave, a selfish confidence painting his steps, and you beg every God in existence to grant you a sword in your hand. Or a dagger. A kitchen knife would do as well. Anything, that would help you cut this unbeatable, patronizing, infuriatingly handsome smirk from Feyd Rauthas face.

Alas, you're left with nothing, only a small glimmer of hope dangling in front of you, after your damned betrothed's words fully register in your brain.

A bride you might be, but certainly not a virgin one. Duncan Idaho made sure of that many years ago. The thought makes you smile, despite nerves wreaking havoc in your body. At least that's the one thing Feyd Rautha won't be able to take from you.

[atrxides]

Book Jessica x Leto <3

I think one of my favourite things about Jessica x Leto in the Dune book is the fact that they are so secure in their love for each other:

You have Jessica; who is a very well trained Bene Gesserit, who can control every cell in her body, that when it comes to Leto instinctually let's herself feel and emote naturally. (Conceives Alia out of "instinct", cries/breaks down when Leto is in danger/dies, visibly gets upset when people ask her about them getting married etc.)

But Jessica is also very secure in her knowledge that Leto loves her and only her, she says to Hawat that "he'll not marry anyone else, not as long as I live." And she is very confident in that which suggests through words/actions that Leto has assured her of this before.

Similarly with Leto, he's very secure in knowing Jessica loves him and he doesn't consider even for a minute that she is the actual traitor. He says "she's opened/showed her heart to me" and that he "knows her", he also tells Paul himself that he'd sooner distrust himself than Jessica.

And so I think that while we didn't get a lot of them speaking directly to each other in the book, the conversations they have with other characters about their relationship is very telling. There is a sense of communication and deep understanding between them, whether it's verbal/non verbal/physical, that they love each other very much and that they are it for each other.

Then there's an aspect of their relationship that is a bit more tragic to me;

From the start of the book through to the end, even after Leto has died, there is this sense of defence that is constantly surrounding their relationship.

It starts with the Reverend Mother accusing Jessica of having a son purely because of Leto and Jessica has to defend that decision.

Then it's everyone thinking Jessica is the traitor and Leto has to defend her (obvi he gives into the plan for his own schemes but anyway).

Jessica has to defend her love for Leto to Yueh, Hawat, and eventually Gurney later on in the novel. She has to fight off all these accusations and questions about why she hasn't married him or why he didn't marry her.

Paul has to defend his parents' love as well to Gurney when Jessica can't convince him she's not the traitor. (Gurney was a real one for wanting to die for doing that lol.)

And it's really sad that that was something that consistently happened, like after 15/16/17 years they were still having to defend what they had. They were probably very private people and while they did have their own love and understanding of each other, other people just didn't get to see that and so there's this constant sense of protection for both of them for who they love and their family.

And especially for Jessica, who at that point had betrayed the Bene Gesserit more than once, being accused and having to defend her loyalty when everything she had done was out of love for Leto.

There's something so visceral about their story and the way they love each other that really resonates with me idk

[thoughtfulfoxllama]

Ok, I realized something while watching "Dune: Prophecy" (at the time of writing, we are only on Episode 4)

(I have also only gotten through part of God-Emporer, so I only have a big picture knowledge of Heretics & Chapterhouse, and know nothing about the the Brian Herbert books (although I know many consider them non-canon, but they're the inspiration for the show))

Lady Jessica royally f--ked up 10 millennia of planned breeding. The Original Kwisatz Haderach was not meant to be Paul Atreides, but the Son of "Pauline" Atreides & Feyd Rautha (and I believe it was never going to be Rabban, despite him being older, we can see in the first chapters of "Dune" that the Baron was grooming Feyd to succeed him, and was plotting to have Feyd remove Rabban after killing the Atreides)

This Son (let's call him "Leto Harkonnen," to symbolize the union of the Houses, and because Emperor Leto was a Kwizatz Haderach in Canon) was intended to marry the daughter of Empress Irulan. So, this would give the Kwizatz Haderach the power to actually enforce the Golden Path across the Imperium. But, Pauline was Paul, so that all messed it up

But, to my point about "Dune: Prophecy" below the Cut

Am I supposed to honestly believe it wasn't intentional that Valya Harkonnen was the second Reverend Mother Superior, and the Breeding Program ended with "Leto Harkonnen" on the Throne

Seriously, Valya's entire thing is restoring her house to the lofty station it had before the Jihad. Tell me she didn't change the Breeding Plan to end with House Harkonnen in the highest place of honor in the Imperium

And, if Valya had daughters (which I believe would probably be the case, for the reason I get into below), then any descendants on the Female Line would have her whispering to them after becoming Reverend Mothers (meaning she would be able to advise any changes to the Plan for the entire history of the Order)

[sebastianswallows]

I want to talk a little bit about Frank Herbert and the Bene Gesserits, because it's something that's been on my mind for a while and I haven't seen anyone looking at these characters from this perspective yet (not that I looked very hard, but I check the tags occasionally and just haven't seen it, and this would be the first place I'd expect to).

It's strange in a good way seeing Dune become popular, and people actually reading the books, and it being cool to do so, not it being a niche and nerdy thing. But what's equally weird is to see all the praise Frank Herbert's getting, especially from women readers 😂

Because at any point between, I think, the 80s and the 2000s, if a guy said he liked Frank Herbert that was considered by women to be a red flag. I remember women chatting about this in online forums back in the day. It was the equivalent of a guy saying he likes Jordan Peterson now.

It's an analysis of Dune that doesn't seem to have come through again. Audiences have caught on to the homophobia inherent in how the Baron was represented, but nobody is talking anymore about the blatant sexism of the books.

And I say this as a long time fan, because I was super inspired by most of the female characters in the novels and in particular the Bene Gesserits, so to hear that Herbert was supposed to be a misogynist took me by surprise. "What do you mean it's sexist? This is great!" The idea of a group of women who fully dedicate themselves to their own intergalactic girl gang, who follow their own plans, who use their femininity to their own ends, who live through discipline and self control and are fully empowered to face down any threat, that was so inspiring to teenage me.

But I guess the sort of women I most admired were the ones who were terrifying to men.

I mean, the only "good" female characters are either not Bene Gesserits, like Chani, or are Bene Gesserits who go against the order, like Jessica. Moreover, the only "good" female characters are those who betray their group for the sake of men. Like Jessica going against the word of the Reverend Mother because Leto wanted a boy.

Irulan's only redeeming features are her complete dedication to Paul and being basically in love with him and being the author of glorifying history books about him in spite of the fact that he deposed her father and is keeping her in a loveless marriage and constantly publicly humiliates her by treating Chani as his wife.

Even Chani, an otherwise bland and marginal character compared to the film, is at her most poignant when dying in child birth for the sake of giving birth to Paul's children. A death which happens because Irulan had been secretly poisoning her out of jealousy. Frank Herbert just has women clawing each other's eyes out for the sake of Paul's affection. I don't care how good that dick is, it's not worth poisoning another woman over. Poison him instead and take the throne, girl.

But oh yeah, in this intergalactic empire tens of thousands of years in the future, they seem to have discovered neither the concept of divorce nor of female inheritance of titles and property. It can only be a man inheriting the throne, not the Emperor's biological daughter. And once Irulan is married, well she's just stuck there. Pretty incredible.

And however great the Bene Gesserits are, they still need a man to "see where they can not see". No matter how empowered a group of women becomes, they still need a man. Only a man can see into the future. Women can only see into the past. Therefore, only a man can save the world.

I get that they tried to conceal some of this in the recent film, and they managed to do so to some extent, but it's mostly been with Chani. You still have the problem of Jessica and Irulan being just servants for the whims of the men in their lives, a fact which gets them into a lot of trouble. And you have the Bene Gesserits portrayed as scheming witches who are evil to have their own plots and designs, and are dependent on a man to see into that place which terrifies them.

I mean, enjoy the books by all means. I always did in spite of all of this, and I still like the story and the world. I still love the characters too. But man if the author didn't have some unflattering ideas about us 😂

[khr-guilded-cage]

Trying to find which tropes and archetypes Xanxus fits, I am breaking down his story

He is kind of a 'Evil Former Hero'? Its more of a Former HEIR and he is more Grey than Evil, but he is Tsuna's Predecessor, so he DOES fits the Trope

I talked about how similar he is to Loki and Tai Lung before both in this blog and others sideblogs (here and here), begin a Rebelious Foster Son and a Rival to the ACTUAL Heir (Po begin the True Dragon Warrior, Tsuna the New Vongola Heir and Thor...this one was always the blood firstborn heir)

But I think his situation is far more POLITICAL than both Loki and Tai Lung, he wasnt just the fourth heir, he is the Varia Boss, has a position won by his own merit, not blood.

Timoteo decided to treat him as if he was a mere one of the heirs, not the HEAD of a independant division with his own loyal people, a really dumb choice. Tai Lung or Loki would not be able to start a coup, Loki's army was not Asgardian.

So here are the parallels with the Uchiha and the Noldor I also talked about before, with Madara (and Sasuke and even Itachi) and Feanor as the parallels to Xanxus

Noldor did rebel and were fairly sucesful at the beginning, they did leave and got independance.

Xanxus did rebel, but got stopped.

The Uchiha didn't even got the change to fail a rebellion

I have Zero Idea where I am going, but if anyone have a opinion about this, please share

Also, on the political side, Timoteo's plan is similar to Empress Violet (from Caught by the Villain) with Leto and Norlin with Jenna (from The Princess Plot - the Scandia Series by Kirsten Boie):

The Current Heir is your enemy, so you get a spare heir out of nowhere that you can manipulate and usurp you enemy heir

Norlin and Violet are more like Iemitsu because the kids are his Hidden Secret Daughter and her Missing Long Lost Son, respectively.

While Tsuna is his spare kid Iemitsu had so the bloodline won't die out

This plot is kinda similar to what Suren from Stolen Heir seens planning in doing with Oak? Marry him and challenge Jude and Cardan? In theory at least.

Added here because thats is something I can see Xanxus doing, find some random person of Vongola Bloodline (mostly likely a Sawada) to marry and legimate his claim

While this would fit my other blog @the-flower-named-fire better, since this is more KHR focused and I have a fandom blog, I am posting it here

[vulpine-spectacle]

ECHOES IN OUR BLOOD FUN FACTS!

If Eurydice had been born alone without Paul, these things would have happened:

The Emperor wouldn't have bothered killing Leto. Without an heir to sustain him, Leto's bloodline would die with him. Unless Leto chose to marry, the Emperor would have left well enough alone.

Eurydice would have been taken to the Convent at the age of seven, like in EIOB, but she would have fought harder to stay. Since Leto didn't have an heir, Eurydice felt like she had to fill that role as his only child.

LETO WOULD HAVE THREATENED WAR ON THE BENE GESSERIT IF THEY TOOK EURYDICE.

Leto would eventually be forced to yield, but this would add pressure to Leto to find a wife and have an heir to take on Caladan, but the Order would intervene at every turn.

Eurydice and Feyd's marriage would have bridged the feud between families. Without a male heir at Leto's disposal, the Baron prefers to keep him alive, solely so Leto can watch Eurydice lose her Atreides identity by bearing Harkonnen children and furthering the legacy.

Eurydice would have 10000% murdered the Baron no matter what.

... Feyd figures out where Eurydice is sooner, since she doesn't have Paul's mind to connect with, meaning he casually stages a mini-coup against the Baron to gather up enough resources to invade Chapterhouse to get her.

Isolde is very tempted just to hand Eurydice over. But she has to solve a conflict, unfortunately.

Feyd is twelve at this point AND NOT LEAVING WITHOUT EURYDICE.

The Reverend Mother allows them to meet.

Feyd tries to kiss her because he's overwhelmed and Eurydice slaps him and calls him out for tracking her down and basically bringing a whole ass army. This is when it's explained how they're actually betrothed and Feyd, being the genius he is, states it'd make more sense for him to pack her up and bring her back to Giedi Prime so they can get to know each other, she can finish her training there, and then they can get married.

Isolde supports this plan.

The Reverend Mother yields to it, figuring this might be a good way to tame Eurydice.

... it does not.

Eurydice and Feyd's relationship growing up together on Giedi Prime can be summed up as a "this is my idea" song from swan princess

it's cute okay, definitely a lil less angst than echoes in our blood

Maybe, just maybe, i'll write a fanfiction of my fanfiction with this story. it'd probably be short and domestic af. Probably ten chapters at maximum, depending on where it goes.

... thoughts? A fanfiction of EIOB once EIOB is completed? X'DD

[godsofhumanity]

Could you please do a Hera hc with other Olympians too and please elaborate on Zeus

lol, at this point i'm just doing the whole damn pantheon hey ahahahaha!!!!!!!

ZEUS

i've written LOADS about Hera x Zeus, but somehow i don't have a single "pure" Zeus x Hera hc list. so, i'll save that for if i ever get a Zeus x Hera ask by itself, because i think that'll be cleaner and easier to read. i'll summarise here though.

the short of it: Zeus and Hera do love each other.

the long of it: their relationship is like, the most complicated thing ever.

now, this is about Hera, so i'm not gonna write about why i think Zeus does what Zeus does, but from Hera's perspective, i hc that she's always known that this is what her marriage would be like.

i don't think she got married to Zeus and then "suddenly" he just started having "affairs"--- both were very crystal clear that this would be the case.

but love is a bit complicated, and i believe Hera and Zeus had enough faith in each other that they believed they could make it work (and they do. sort of. with a few a casualties).

one thing about Hera that i feel is incredibly important to her character is that she forgives. not everyone, but those she loves. i hc that she has a HUGE heart-- i've said before that i believe she inherits this from Rhea-- and i believe that she does forgive Zeus every time he goes "out" because, as Queen of Olympus, she knows there's a much bigger plan out there.

POSEIDON

i've always felt that Hera's best friend, most trusted confidant, would be Amphitrite. not only are they sister-in-laws, but they're both Queens, and both wives to cheaters. so i feel like they have a lot of common ground-- a lot to bond over.

as such, i feel that Amphitrite and Hera would hang around a lot, so i think, by extension, Poseidon and Zeus would hang around a lot.

i don't really know if Amphitrite loves Poseidon, i mean she probably does considering that she stays with him, but i honestly don't know for sure... in any case, she does tolerate him, and i think by that fact, Hera also tolerates him.

now, i don't really feel like the elder Olympians maintain a sibling relationship the way other god-families do-- like, Leto, Artemis and Apollo are tight as hell and literally kill for each other-- i think Prometheus, Epimetheus, and that whole titan generation are also incredibly tight. but, between Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, and Hera, i don't think they're that close-- this is likely because they never grew up with each other. Kronos prevented that. they sort of all just appeared fully-grown, and that's not really the same as actually growing from childhood to adulthood together.

that's why i don't think Hera is that close with Poseidon-- they're brother and sister on paper, and they would consider each other brother and sister for sure, but i just don't think they're that close.

also, like i was saying before, since Amphitrite and Hera are very close (and by choice, too), i think that, if not for Amphitrite, Hera would be a bit more distant from Poseidon on account of him being so similar to Zeus in terms of behaviour... now with Zeus, i think his behaviour is explained by his role as King and Father of the gods, but Poseidon doesn't really have that same rank so i think Hera would be less forgiving.

anyways, even so. in the myths, there are a few times when Poseidon supports Hera in her rebellions against Zeus, so that's not to say they're hostile towards each other-- they're friendly, but not close.

DEMETER

see here

tl;dr -- they're besties.

HESTIA

i think Hestia and Zeus would be the only ones who are actually able to maintain proper relationships with their siblings.

Hestia, like i said before, is the older sister. and i do think she helps out all her siblings when she can, even if that's mostly just providing a listening ear and shoulder to cry on.

Hera, obviously, has a lot of crying moments. i think Hestia would be one of the few characters she'd be feel comfortable crying in front of.

i can imagine Hestia doing a lot of baking <33 Hera seems like a sweet-tooth, so i think Hestia would bake her a lot of sweet treats-- pastries, and biscuits, and cakes.

HADES

i think in a similar vein to Poseidon, Hera's relationship would be good but not really all that close.

i suspect that after Hades and Persephone's marriage, Hera and Hades would actually become closer because i think Hera would make it a point to help Persephone navigate the ways of being a ruler, so they would see each other more often.

PERSEPHONE

see here

tl;dr -- they're good.

ATHENA

see here

tl;dr -- they're good.

ARTEMIS

see here

tl;dr -- they hate each other. they do not interact if they can help it.

APOLLO

i think they're on better terms than Artemis and Hera, but still-- Apollo definitely does not like Hera due to the python incident, and Hera definitely does not like Apollo because she perceives him to be far too arrogant.

nonetheless,, i do believe that Apollo, at the very least, doesn't really go out of his way to be rude to Hera. i mean, i could see Artemis being intentionally unhelpful, but Apollo, if Hera asked a favour of him, i think he would do it, albeit, if only to have her owe him one.

one pretty pivotal incident to me is when Hephaestus loses his leg- i mentioned previously that i think Hephaestus, as a child, accidentally walks in on Hera and Zeus arguing, and Zeus, mistaking Hephaestus for a servant, tells him to gtfo and shoots him with a lightning bolt-- now, Zeus' lightning can melt the very heavens and rip through the fabric of time, so it delivers pretty permanent damage to Hephaestus' leg. still, i think Apollo is the first one who Hera and Zeus summon, and though he can't do anything to fix the damage, he can at least reduce the pain for Hephaestus, and i do think Hera remembers that.

furthermore, Apollo retains a good rapport with all of her children, so that puts him Hera's good books.

Eileithyia, Hera's eldest child, was the original goddess of childbirth until Artemis was born and also became associated with it-- while i don't think Artemis and Eileithyia are close, i like the idea of Apollo and Eileithyia being good friends. he's a healer, she's a healer (for women during childbirth especially), so they get along well. and importantly, i don't think Apollo tries to make her feel insignificant; it's the opposite. so Hera can respect Apollo because of that.

otherwise, yeah. they simply tolerate each other.

HERMES

Hermes, Persephone, and Athena, are the three children of Zeus not mothered by Hera, but still "loved" by her.

like i said a billion times before, Hermes has this very playful, childish, innocent attitude that makes him very cute and annoyingly adorable, and people can't help but like him. Hera is no exception.

Hermes is ALWAYS in Zeus' palace because he's the messenger boy. but i can imagine him also doing trivial things for Hera like filling her cup, or getting her snacks. and realistically, he doesn't need to carry out these silly errands for her, but he does it anyways because-- i think Hermes actually does like Hera. she's not his step-mum, but idk. idk how to explain it. he just likes her and respects her.

i hc that Hermes is always complimenting her. like he'll deliver a message and say, "Oh, Queen Hera, is it just me or are you looking more radiant than ever today?" silly, suck-up things like that. and Hera knows that he's just trying to earn brownie points, but she secretly likes the effort he puts in.

Hermes does kill Argus, Hera's prized "knight", and i think she would have been majorly pissed off with Hermes because of that, but i like the idea of Hermes being very respectful of Hera, and not flaunting it in her face.

again, like with Apollo, Hermes maintains a very good relationship with all of Hera's children, so this works in his favour with her too.

anyhow; all in all, they have a pretty good relationship.

HEPHAESTUS

her son!!!!!!!!!!! i think she adores him very much.

she's always in awe of his works. i think she visits his forge very often, just to chat with him and keep him company.

i don't really know what else to say here because honestly, they're about as tight as a mother and child can get.

ARES

the problem child.

Hera, i think, has always seen how much of trouble Ares has had fitting in with the other Olympians. he's too brash, too loud, too violent. but he's still her son, and i think she loves him same as all her other children.

i think it's very difficult to see him get sidelined against the others, but is always immensely proud to see him stand up and do well.

i think the worst moment was when Zeus gave Athena shared rights to the war domain.. i think this would have infuriated Hera a lot-- i mean, she summons Typhon partly because of this moment.

while she's generally proud of Ares, i think they have a falling out over Aphrodite.

as the goddess of marriage, as the wife of a cheater, as a mother, she recognises immediately when Ares and Aphrodite start having an affair while Aphrodite is still married to Hephaestus, and i think it just breaks her heart into a million pieces.

here she is, a woman who has being married for hundreds of years to a man who sleeps with so many others and EVERYONE knows about it and knows about her pain.. Ares has grown up seeing all the bastard children Zeus brings back, and knows the pain and distress it has caused his mother, and STILL he decides to enable that behaviour...

and i think that's very complicated because she still loves Ares, and of course she loves Hephaestus-- and as a mother, what is she supposed to do? i do think she tells Ares immediately that he should stop because it's going to end really really badly (and Hera is right of course).

nonetheless, it is a huge relief to her when Ares and Hephaestus make amends to each other and move on with their lives.

DIONYSUS

again, i haven't fully characterised Dionysus in my head just yet so i'm not sure where he stands with Hera.

on one hand, Semele's death was so ghastly, i cannot imagine Hera ever liking Dionysus. on the other, Dionysus was raised a bit by Hermes and i think they're similar, so by extension, Hera should probably be ok with Dionysus.

but i don't really know.

i think Dionysus tends to stay out of Hera's way. i do like the idea that Dionysus is Zeus' successor-- he will be the King after Zeus, so i suppose he probably has managed to warm up to Hera.

also, i think Hera would be one of Dionysus' biggest customers in his little wine business hee hee

APHRODITE

Hera HATES herrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i don't think Aphrodite hates Hera, but Hera definitely hates Aphrodite. always has.

when Aphrodite first comes to Olympus, Hera's biggest fear is that Zeus will cheat on her with Aphrodite. it takes a lot of promising, and oath-swearing to assure Hera that that won't happen (and i don't believe it does because Aphrodite and Zeus aren't recorded as having children together).

but then, when Aphrodite marries Hephaestus, she cheats with Ares. and that's awful. Hera didn't want to get cheated on, and instead her son is the one getting cheated on. that's awful.

to be clear, i think the story is a bit more complicated and i don't think Hephaestus is blameless,, and i do think Ares and Aphrodite were more genuine than Aphrodite and Hephaestus, but it doesn't excuse it. and Hera knows that. and i don't she ever really forgive Aphrodite for what she "does" to her sons.

even though that's not entirely Aphrodite's fault-- i mean. it takes two to tango.

anyhow. Hera's relationship gets better when Aphrodite and Ares get married for real, and even better once Hephaestus marries Aglaea because it's like, yes, ok, both sons are doing well and have moved on. so that brings peace of mind to Hera.

like i said previously, Aphrodite doesn't hate Hera. i think she completely understands Hera's feelings towards her, and she simply accepts it, and does her best to show Hera that she really does love Ares, and that she isn't malicious or evil. and i think it partially works.

[electricbluebutterflies]

Jess x Leto ~ “ i’m gonna marry you one day. ”

Late-era, PG-ish, also on ao3.

It’s rare, finding quiet moments like this.

He knows it’s his own fault, failure to balance priorities, failure to be the person she needs alongside every other expectation. He is good at all that he is, but there are times…

He doesn’t even know how late it is. She’s probably been asleep for hours, and deep enough that she doesn’t wake at the sound of him moving around the bedroom. Only peaceful when unconscious, that woman, and the guilt of it is still so-

She doesn’t expect more than this. Somehow that makes him feel worse.

They have their routines, which is to say that he’d never really planned to redirect his life because of a woman and that had been fine by her and all these years later here they are and he’s not sure how this counts as functional and-

She’s actually out. Usually the slightest noise wakes her up, and he does try to be quiet on the nights he comes to bed this late but it’s never enough. Usually by the time he’s even managed to get his shoes off she’s perched on the edge of her side of the bed, asking her usual questions, she shows love through her worry and it is understood enough and-

None of that tonight. He’s almost tempted to slip his fingers beneath her blanket pile and check her pulse, but the slight rise and fall of her breathing is enough. He assumes there’s a reason for her exhaustion that he will politely not ask questions about, some nighttime activity she couldn’t fully explain to him even if he wanted, but-

“I don’t deserve you,” he murmurs.

He doesn’t get enough moments to appreciate her like this. Light of his life and he still doesn’t know how to handle that, and he knows she’d react badly to any kind of adoration, she flinches when he says a dress looks good on her and some days he wonders who hurt her before him and some days he thinks he’d tear the entire world apart if he ever found out and-

It is strange to practice nightly rituals alone in perfect silence. He’s gotten used to her watching him, her sharp eyes and the occasional moment she needs her hands on his skin. That they are still good physically after all these years is a blessing; that she ever decided to be attracted to him at all is still just… confusing, given her tendencies, and-

He hasn’t done right by her. The guilt of it troubles him more than anything else. She has taken their uncertainty and mistakes and made a life out of it, she has stood by his side and given him everything and-

“I’m going to marry you one day.”

Ten more years, he thinks. Ten more years, perhaps fifteen at worst, but as soon as they arrange something for their son the pressure will be off him and-

Everyone who might judge that decision already knows its inevitability. There will not be anyone else. What kind of person could have the love of such a patient and capable woman and still deny her? This uneasy compromise they balance now is not what she deserves but-

Routines done, he slips beneath blankets and wraps his body around hers. If she is this deep, she will dream and then wake with some nightmare; she will want the comfort of proximity, and-

“Someday, my storm. Someday.”

[ackermental]

Agreeing with everything except for the fact, that Chani is indeed the only person on the planet that refuses Paul's call. If there were more people at odds with him being a God (at this particular moment) we should have known. They should have shown us.

We have a specific line for that in the movie "all of them were friends, now they are followers". Its about that group of Fremens who were mocking him at the begining. Chani stays as the only person who for some reason doesn't believe in Paul.

As for the polygamy thing, its all nice and well, but it never was an issue addressed in the books... Because it didn't need to be. Polygamy in Fremen culture simply existed. Paul is being presented with a trophy wife at the doorstep and this particular plotline revolves around how he has to find his place in a foreign world. Within this story, everything works and clicks.

Chani never mentions it when it comes to Irulan. And it's not like she's speachless, when it's being decided that Paul and Irulan will marry. She has doubts and she has opportunity to voice her opinions. None of them consider polygamy. It's Jessica, a person who actually lived as a concubine for years (with no other woman to see around her duke, so she's being kinda hypocritical as always) who reasures Chani.

But what Chani is worried about at that time though, is the loss of her child, another thing that the movie cut out. She's worried that Paul is going to leave her, not because there will be another woman, but because there is nothing to bind them together anymore. And Paul's reasurance is much better than the fan favourite quote about wives and concubines and history (which i find absolutely hilarious, because people seem to forget that it was the wife that has written said history, and the picture we get of Chani is the one most people across the ages were presented with).

If the movie wanted to give us female pov on those particular elements of the culture, well then, it failed, because it didn't even bother.

Shame, bacause that would actually be more interesting to watch than Zendaya's frowning face for 150 minutes.

And tbh, it could have been easily explained by going back to Kynes, her mother, a person coming from the very heart of the Empire, teaching her daughter about different things, things a normal Fremen community couldn't know about.

The problem: they never even mention Chani's relationship with Kynes.

I know that the intentions they had towards Chani were to improve her, though how much of it was due to them wanting to give her some agency and how much it was because they've invested a lot in Zendaya promoting those movies, its anybody's guess.

The point is, the execution sucks and its going to suck even more in the future.

As I've said, because this is a bigger then your average movie production, the writers needed to stay committed to Chani's new characterisation, meaning she had to go.

This doesn't change in the Messiah. If anything, it's even more of a necessity.

By giving Chani more agency, they've somehow written her out of the story.

What's their plan for the future?

She just went on the worm ride to clear her head? She rethought her life, and actually is now ok with genocide? She came to the conclusion that polygamy is actually fine with her, after looking at dunes for three days?

She will be plotting against Paul, which in turn will make her another Irulan?

Paul will force her to have sex with him using the Voice, because Leto's existance is crucial to humanity's survival?

What was even the point? Especially since in the future movie she'll have to go back to Paul anyway. Its not only a bad writing, its a bad writing that was done for nothing.

The thing is: not every female character needs to have a big, meaningful part to play. Yes, book!Chani's role was to be a love interest, to get pregnant and to die.

But we have to remember, that she's not a real person. She's existing, as all parts of the story, to move forward the plot.

As a character in the books, she worked. She wasn't disturbing, she wasn't giving reader a whiplash. Herbert didn't have to create a completely separate plotline to fit her in. It simply wasn't her story. And we had other, more interesting female characters anyway.

Is this big of a rewrite even worth the truble? We have only three hours for one movie and are we really willing to waste at least 1/3 of that time on Chani out of all things that are going on in the Messiah?

Im not even going to pretend that Chani's character is worth all that much fuss.

Because she's really not.

Chani was given Irulan's personality and now she's the one who can't decide if she wants to fuck or kill Paul.

Character development. Sure.

She's reached so far inside her inner american gen z girlboss, that she's literally the only person on an entire fucking planet, who is resilient to her culture and religion. She's just magically like that. She was reading anti Bene Gesserit press when she was a little girl, and she knows about plans, that even Emperor himself didn't know until it was too late.

Polygamy also suddenly doesn't exist, so Chani, like any modern tiktok influencer, is not on board with Paul having a wife, even tho Chani originally understood the concept very well. Because Fremen understood it very well. Because Paul was given a fucking wife in the books.

And people are wondering why most viewers are already on Irulan ship? Maybe because she's acting like Chani in the books? Because she actually fits in the story frames, and Chani is so far removed from the plot, that there was literally no other logical conclusion than for her to fuck off?

She leaves the narrative because she shouldn't even exist in this shape or form. Don't give me bullshit about giving her more agency as a character. She's an actual writing abomination.

Tho I have to say, that I love how by the end of the movie everybody is looking at her like she's breathed in too much spice. Or they are straight out ignoring her.

"what's wrong with chani?"

"never mind, must be a heat stroke"

[antiloreolympus]

10 Anti LO Asks

1. a billionaire's nightmare (especially one who gets rich off the labor of slavery) would be to actually work, so no wonder hades and persephone are so distraught over actually having to do their jobs for once instead of goofing off, abusing the poor, and shopping all day.

2. I think LO was always supposed to be a Rom/Drama, but the issue is more that RS can't depict drama well, hence why the SA was followed by a Dad Joke™️, was dropped, and "fixed" after one therapy session literal years afterwards, or how Persephone isn't allowed darkness to instead have it as Eris' doing, or how RS complains she wants to write "Persephone playing Candy Crush all day" when she easily could have from the start. It was never supposed to be a RomCom, but she can't do RomDrama either.

3. Now LO fans are claiming Eris isn't supposed to be a villain and Kronos was always planned to come back? I swear they just live in another reality because IDK what comic they're reading where any of this was not randomly pulled out of nowhere. You can't spent a season and a half doing nothing to build up a villain returning (who was never pinned as one anyway beyond Hades' personal history), suddenly make him come back, then drop it again to randomly put in Leto and Eris. That's bad writing.

4. "LO is supposed to be dark!" a dark story doesn't constantly use outdated memes, make fart jokes during "serious" moments, and spend more time doing silly expressions and trying to be "hip with the times" than actually being serious when it should be. LO is as deep and dark as Riverdale, but even Riverdale is aware it's bad.

5. I mean it's been a long time coming of social/pop media making it toxic for young girls and women to navigate through and not feel "not enough", especially if they're not a 18-21 year old, attractive, rich, and white. LO is not the sole factor, but it does suck it's another piece of popular media setting up dangerous standards for its young readers base that they can never be able to live up to. I know people love to go "fiction doesn't effect reality" but it does, even if it doesn't try to.

6. I think that also makes the AOW/Eris/Whatever else so dumb is like ... are we really suppoed to believe all of this happened when Persephone was 18-19, so literally within the last two years of her life? How exactly does that work? Plus has Rachel ever met a 13 year old? Persephone would logically have 15 AOWs at this point since it's tied to her emotions, not having it only happen one time when she was 19 a few months ago in universe. You don't just have one temper outburst and that's it.

7. Idk it annoys me that in the trial arc only Hades wore a crown (at least on the first day) and an "interesting" outfit meanwhile Zeus and Poseidon looked kinda meh

I get that Poseidon may not like to wear his crown or formal clothes but Zeus literally has no excuse for not wearing a crown like they're all kings but Zeus is the king of the gods and it's an important event but anyway it's just a nitpick 

8. It appears that RS is practicing with poses and anatomy. I'm genuinely glad to see it. Hopefully it'll show in the upcoming chapters. For now it seems like she is spending her time wisely. 

9. What I don't get is you have LO fans excusing the SA, age gap, slavery, violence, etc as "It's myth! she has to keep it in!" when 1) a lot of the bad parts in LO were NOT in the original myths to begin with, but 2) she purpisely took a story about a mother standing up for her daughter against a cruel man and instead made it a "romance" where the cruel man is the perfect partner and the mom is evil for not wanting the together, so the idea she "had" to keep or add these elements is a just a lie.

10. I hate LO fans claiming it's a "coming of age" story because LO is ultimately about Persephone marrying Hades, being his Queen, and that's about it. Where in that says "coming of age"? Yes, in ancient times a (mortal) girl would become a "woman" upon marriage, but this is supposed to be a modern setting for a modern romance, what "coming of age" are they having exactly if they don't have ancient values? And why should her "maturing into an adult" be tied to Persephone's relationship to a man?

[shizukateal]

Lore Olympus Fast-Pass Thoughts (200!)

Turns out they did give me back my coins, I just needed to wait until the end of the week.

So Demeter's suspicions have indeed been confirmed, which means that Leto and Apollo are working under that same pretense. I stand strong by my Zagreus theory, though. I feel like at this point there's a lot of signs pointing to that, especially because of chapter 186. Also, I would not put it past Zeus to be keeping to himself that crucial last bit of info if it turns out that the arrival of a new fertility goddess is the signal of his reign coming to an end. The way he frames the story stinks a little too self-serving to me, but it's hard to tell. However if the story follows the myth and he ends up ordering the marriage between Hades and Persephone that'll probably mean that he doesn't know, or maybe Asclepius will really convince him that Hades is totally super duper infertile somehow. In any case, he knows the full scope of the situation now and now he and Perse will have to put their differences aside for the time being, but after this whole thing is resolved or at least put a lid on...

Hm. Actually I wonder if this will affect the course of the myth? I speculated before that Persephone will trap Kronos again when she makes Elysium, and that to do that she will have to eat the pomegranate so that she can rule over Tartarus to do so. Maybe Zeus will have something to do with that decision? Without Demeter's state as a reference it is hard for me to fully predict the path this will take. Seriously, though, someone should REALLY check on her.

In any case, this is the best I can do as far as my predictions go: Hades will be woken up (likely with a kiss, since we are doing the sleeping beauty thing now), but the Kronos situation won't be fully resolved with that, just contained. By that point Demeter will be woken up too, assuming she's asleep by now, and maybe she'll help with the fight against him. With that out of the way, however, Zeus becomes a dick again and sends Persephone back to the mortal realm away from Hades, with MAYBE the only consolation price being that she and Demeter can be together again as long as they keep their isolation. But then Persephone sneaks in that Apollo raped her and the sirens start going off in Zeus' head. So he comes up with the brilliant plan: he "secretly" tells Hades to kidnap Perse and marry her, although he'll also probably make Hades make some magic-promise ritual thing that keeps him from ever using Persephone's powers. This way he blocks Apollo's plans while keeping his hands clean, or he would if Helios didn't see him and told Demeter and Hecate when they ask him. I can see him telling Apollo that he gave her to Hades for helping with Kronos or something like that. And if Persephone speaks up about the sexual assault then that will destroy a lot of the rep that Apollo has been building up for himself over the years. Worst case scenario Zeus will publicize that without Perse's consent though, since I don't see him respecting his boundaries if it can help his interest.

[life-on-the-spectrum]

Why Star Wars is just Dune with better marketing:

I’ve posted this before, but with the new movie being out I’m just gonna post it again. I’ll put it under the break, because spoilers. 

1. A prophesied messianic figure comes out of a desert world. Paul Atreides wasn’t born on Arrakis, but he came of age there and spent his entire adult life there, I think. Anakin came from Tattooine.

2. Messianic figure only really got handed the job because someone decided “Yeah, that messiah’s gonna be you. No pressure.” Paul wasn’t supposed to fill any prophecies. There were a couple of separate ones, though. One was this weird eugenics program to breed a superpsychic, and the other was a fake planted by the Bene Gesserit to be exploited in case of emergency. Paul and his mother exploited it, except he wound up actually fulfilling both of them... kind of, anyway. Anakin got found by Qui-Gon, and everyone just sort of assumed he would destroy the Sith.

3. He’s suddenly way more powerful than anyone thought was possible, and rewrites the entire socio-political-religious structure of the known universe. Marries royalty. Paul actually does have all of the powers that both prophecies said he would, and those powers kind of build off of each other... oh, and he’s got mad tactical planning skills and combat skills that combine with both gifts. Interplanetary disaster is only averted by the Emperor stepping down and Paul marrying, basically, two princesses. Anakin destroyed the Jedi order, married a queen (sort of), and helped jump-start the Galactic Empire. Later, while old, kept alive by life support, and injured, Anakin defeats a Sith that mopped the floor with Yoda, the supposed strongest Jedi Master in the order.

4. Everything was going according to plan until a woman became a love object, because no plan for control will last five minutes once romance is involved, apparently. This happens a few times, through both series. Paul is born because his mother actually fell in love with the dude she was assigned to breed with, so she chooses to have a son instead of a daughter as her firstborn. Chaos ensues. Paul’s legal wife feels threatened by the woman he actually loves, poisons her. Chaos ensues. Leto II’s regime is ended when he falls in love with Hwi Noree (To be fair, he saw that coming.). Chaos ensues. Anakin is a decent Jedi until he sees Padme again. Chaos ensues. Luke is a boring farmer until he sees Leia’s hologram. Chaos ensues and shit gets really creepy in retrospect. Kylo Ren is a mediocre Sith until he meets Rey. Chaos ensues.

5. Messianic figure ruins the emperor’s life. Paul exiles his emperor to a far-off planet and marries his daughter to keep him from fighting back. Anakin drops his emperor down a reactor shaft.

6. Messianic figure sucks at messiah stuff. Triggers assorted disasters through their own incompetence. Their descendants are left to clean up the mess. Paul gets sucked up in his own mythos, ends up blinded and exiled to wander the desert until his death while his son has to shapeshift into a sandworm to save Humanity from his father's attempt to save Humanity, and his daughter’s descendants... I’m not really sure what they do, but they show up in future books along with Paul’s constantly reincarnated buddy. After Leto II died I got really confused and gave up. XD Anakin destroys the order that raised him as a “Chosen One,” then his son and later his grandson both die trying to undo that mess.

7. Messianic figure fathers fraternal twin babies with superpowers. Only the male one uses the powers in any way that really advances the long-term plot, while the female offspring carries on the genetic line. Paul had Leto II and Ghanima, both psychics that can channel anyone in their bloodline of the same sex and see the future, but Leto II became the next emperor while Ghanima was tasked with breeding future Atreides babies. Anakin had Luke and Leia, both powerful Force-users, but Luke became a Jedi while Leia left to be a mommy. Granted, she was also a military genius and a politician, but she was both of those before she knew she had the Force.

8. BOY, did they ever misunderstand that prophecy! Technically, Paul is the word-I-can’t-spell that the Bene Gesserit saw coming. Except he’s completely out of their control, not interested in helping them at all, and just sort of does his own thing that changes several thousand years of Human destiny. Technically, he is also the prophesied Mahdi of the Fremen (I’m not even getting into the weird pseudo-Islamic stuff that Herbert put into that story. Dune is not without problems.), except he basically treats them like ignorant fanatics, wipes out their culture, and uses them as his armies of fear. They turn on him something fierce later. Anakin, if you think about it, did balance out the Force. It’s just that with thousands of Jedi on the Light Side, and only two (officially, anyway) Sith on the Dark Side, that balance had been tipped heavily for a very, very long time. After Order 66, there were two onscreen Jedi (Obi-Wan and Yoda) and two onscreen Sith (Vader and Palpatine).

[millllenniawrites]

wild eyes (Duke Leto Atreides x Reader)

part one of the wild eyes duology

I thought I should try my hand at writing Leto...... and yes I was supposed to be in class when I wrote this but in battle of Oscar Isaac characters vs calculus, that man and his art win every time

__

Words: 1.1k

Warnings: choking vibes but no actual choking? sort of? praise sort of?? I cut the smut out of this last minute because I wanted this to be gender neutral and tbh I hated it so I’m gonna work on it and post a p2 probably. slight spoilers (this happens directly after a canon scene in the book (and uses book dialogue) but it’s near the very beginning. all spoilers are like general introduction-to-the-world-of-dune pieces. nothing major) The lovely Lady Jessica makes a brief appearance. this is mostly just me trying to explore the voice so we’ll see how long I even keep this up lmao __

Taking a deep, calming breath, you rounded the corner into the large stone Hall.

Your eyes were immediately drawn to the high ceiling. It was impossible to not feel infinitely small in the grandeur of the space. The faint sounds of feet shuffling and heavy packages being laid on the stone floors filtered in through the doorway you’d used and were magnified, bouncing off the high, dark walls until they were little more than whisperings. The sound was not unlike the sand, a shifting and blowing about outside the house that never seemed to end. 

Speaking in soft whispers, the Lady Jessica and the Duke stood in the centre of the space, surrounded by boxes and covered art, from what you could tell. You hesitated to interrupt them, especially with the tension in the Lady’s shoulders and the way she seemed to draw her arms around herself, but your orders were clear. 

Your voice echoed in the large space as you called, “My Lord?”

His head snapped up, shoulders turning toward you. The condition of his working uniform and his hair only added to picture that the lines in his face painted: a man under tremendous stress. Something in you ached to reach out, to soothe whatever had left him this way, but you would resist. For the sake of the Lady Jessica, if nothing else. 

He cared for her. He had to, for a man of his caliber to have never married. Nothing else would keep a man so loyal to the mother of his son. There were whispers, as there always were, about why he had not married her. People wondered if she had another lover. If he hadn’t married her as to allow her that freedom. 

If he himself wished to indulge in those freedoms.

While you would never betray the Duke, it was hard not to smile while overhearing the speculation. 

It was always hard, being the keeper of the secrets. But no one would blame you for keeping them. Not if they knew the pleasures of indulging in the Duke’s freedom, too.

You took a few steps into the wide room so he could hear you better, bowing your head as you spoke. “Your guardcar has arrived, my Lord.” 

The Duke turned to the Lady Jessica. Her face was perfectly neutral, no hint of their prior conversation to be found. “Don’t expect me until very late.” He strode out, only a flick of his wrist signalling you to follow him. 

He was speaking to a grey-haired woman when you finally made it back into the hallway. Servants shuffled more boxes in through the great doors. “The Lady Jessica’s in the Great Hall. Join her there immediately.” The woman shuffled past you into the room and the Duke was off again, heading down the left-most passageway. 

Another flick of his wrist and you were following him closely, down a set of halls in the large, cold house that you were certain didn’t lead to his officers or the car what was waiting for him. 

The Duke turned down a dead end, stopping so quickly you nearly ran into his back. When he turned, his eyes were lighter. “Did you truly send for a guardcar?” 

You met his booming voice with a whisper and a single nod. “I believe one of the servants overheard you and the Lady Jessica, my Lord.” He had mentioned quite loudly that he would be busy with the officers into the late evening, and word traveled fast. Was this another excuse for him to sneak off with a woman from the new city you had all settled in? Was he truly so paranoid that he would lose sleep securing the already-fortified house? 

You had moved quickly, calling a car for him and taking names of those instigating the rumours. As was your role. 

“I have servants listening in on my private conversations?” There was an element of fake surprise to his tone, as if he had planned this. Perhaps he had. He was more than intelligent and ruthless enough to do so. 

“Yes, my Lord.” You answered simply, daring to hold his gaze. 

“I appreciate your loyalty.” He lifted his hand up, his trailing calloused fingers along your jaw making you shudder. His eyes seemed to darken as he said, “I’ll see to it that you’re rewarded. Personally.” The low growl of his words threatened to take you apart, his light touch maddening. 

“Thank you, my Lord.” You breathed as if it were one word. 

“Ask the Lady Jessica for the location of my new office space. Clarify that it be on the orders of the Duke, and I’m sure you’ll find no argument.” 

“Yes my-” He gave you a pointed look. One you’d seen too many times to question what it meant. You bowed your head, obscuring your mouth from view as you whispered, “Leto.” 

“Your Leto, hm?” His gentle teasing sent a shot of warmth through you, magnified by his own heat as he took a slight step closer. 

“I’m sorry-” 

“I like it.” With a finger under your chin, he guided you to look at him. 

There was a savageness in his eyes that stole your breath, present only since agreeing to make the journey to Arrakis. You froze, letting his fingertips trace your cheekbone. He rested his thumb on your bottom lip and you opened automatically for him, your gasps hot against his hand. 

His fingers traced the column of your throat, feeling the unevenness of your breath. “Good.” You could feel the rumble of his voice in your own chest, even as he let his hand drop and stepped back, drawing himself up to his full height. Despite his frazzled state, every inch of him exuded the leadership you had grown to find comfort under. 

The power of the House Atreides. 

The hall was still empty, but the Duke schooled his features into the mask you’d grown to respect. Or was it fear? A safe amount of both, for certain.  “I will see you tonight.” He sounded professional enough, despite the feral grin that graced his lips. Turning his back to you, he strode past you, glancing back only once as he reached the stairwell at the end of the hall that would bring him to his awaiting men. 

He winked and you trembled again, but managed a soft smile. And he was gone. 

tag list: @writefightandflightclub @a-killvr-queen @imananxiousdriver 

[rainbowamory]

Duke Leto and the Lady Jessica from Dune...

I finally finished reading the first book of the Dune series because I wanted to read it before seeing the film that’s coming out soon. I had a comment to make about two of the characters that may be relevant here. 

*spoilers below*

We find out early on in the story that the Lady Jessica (Leto’s “concubine”) is actually the daughter of the Baron, who has always been an enemy of the Duke Leto Atreides. The Baron is also a cousin to the Duke, which would make Jessica and Leto related in some way. It’s news to Jessica too, who finds out only after Leto’s death. Since her ancestry was hidden from them, neither of them knew of it until his passing.

In the storyline, we don’t get to see them interact much because of early events that result in Leto’s death, but the main character in the story (Paul) is their son, and they also had a daughter who was born after Leto’s death.

Even though it’s a significant pairing, we don’t really get to see much of it. But it’s worth mentioning because even though the man was stern and didn’t often show his softer side, it’s very obvious in the book that they really do love each other.

I think they are distant cousins because the 1st book doesn’t really specify how closely related the Baron and Leto were. So the closest Jessica could be to him is first cousin once removed, but I doubt it’s that close in this case. I think they are distant cousins... What I love most is how committed they are to each other in their thoughts and actions, and despite not being officially married due to political needs, they were really and truly husband and wife and behaved as such. I definitely ship them.

I have a feeling this story is going to take a not-so-positive approach to its exploration of “inbreeding” and “incest” but in the context, I think that has more to do with the fact that some manipulation is involved that has to do with a “breeding program” that aims to set people up to create specific combination of genes for a specific purpose...

Leto and Jessica were a part of that plan, but they actually genuinely fell in love. In other instances of this “program”, the results may not have been as mutual.

The point is, it’s not incest that’s wrong. It’s manipulation. But I don’t know if the fandom for this story would be smart enough to get that, and I do wonder what the author’s intentions were with that approach.

Nevertheless, the main character wouldn’t exist if Leto and Jessica didn’t get together so whatever he may feel about the “breeding program” in the background, that remains a fact.

I think the main reason I’m interested in seeing Dune anyway is because it is incredibly unique/imaginative and it has many of the elements (drama, military stuff, magic, romance) that I tend to look for in the fantasy/science-fiction genres. 

[machinations-ii]

A Quote to Live by

"Every path is the right path, everything could have been anything else, and it would have just as much meaning"

Mr. Nobody (2009)

One of a lot of movies that scarred me for life. Nemo Nobody (Jared Leto) is 118 years old and reminiscing—on the time he had spent on this planet. His parents separated when he was 9-years-old and he went to live with his mother and her boyfriend, or did he? He might have stayed with his father and fallen in love with Elise. Although he remember falling madly in love with Anna (Diane Kruger), his step-sister and making love to her. His marriage with Elise was a nightmare with Elise suffering from clinical depression and Nemo might have died multiple times. Foreseeing this (Elise’s mental illness) Nemo might have settled with Joan, a girl he met at a party, and had two kids, whose names he can’t remember.

Perplexed, right? So is Nemo because he can’t decide upon the life he has led.

Oh and did I tell you that Nemo can see the future. Or can he?

You were unable to take a decision because you didn’t knew what would happen and now when you know what will happen you still unable to make a decision.

The problem with reviewing this epic fantasia by the Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael, is that you know you’ll fall short of words and ideas to write your understanding of the film, knowing still well that your understanding is probably a meager fraction of what the film is about. I’ve seen no other film, that drags for roughly 3 hours, challenges your mind thoroughly, makes you ponder about things you would've never thought of otherwise—and all these, throughout it’s playtime. Mr. Nobody is an ensemble of numerous mosaics from all the possible lives Nemo might have led, interwoven with just enough precision to not let you go: “Fuck this shit, I’m hitting the bed.” Not a single frame is a filler.

It is but the first of many decisions said above that cause Nemo’s history to fracture and diverge into multiple timelines; he gives a love letter, he doesn’t give a love letter, he becomes a photographer, and a TV personality, he marries Elise, Jean and Anne, he drowns in his car, is killed by a meteorite, and executed by mobsters. The result is a rather confusing collection of alternative realities that are even further complicated by being framed through the complex physics of time and space.

And yet, I believe that, at the center of it all, all this complexity serves one single purpose, one fundamental question; how do we make meaningful choices? To answer this question, we first have to answer several others.

We can immediately see how this one-directional movement places a burden on our decision-making; We cannot go back, that’s why it’s hard to choose. But what is the right choice? What makes one choice more meaningful over another? This question can only really be answered if there is such a thing as meaning, something to serve as an anchor against which to weigh our options and base our decisions. However, looking to the universe for such a guiding light is likely to leave you disappointed. Have you ever heard of the butterfly effect? The butterfly effect is a part of chaos theory, suggesting that a small change in one state can result in larger differences in a later state. And as we see in many of Nemo’s timelines, this causal reaction often undermines our own agency, although of course, we generally experience this phenomenon as random chance, bringing us either good fortune, or bad luck.

In the opening scene, we are also presented with an experiment in which a pigeon is given a treat every 20 seconds. The researchers discovered that if the pigeon happened to be flapping its wings when given the treat, it would continue to do so, convinced its actions are what caused it. This phenomenon, which is referred to as pigeon superstition, further emphasizes the dissonance between

how we perceive causality, and how the universe actually works. In other words, we may believe our choices and actions affect the world in a certain way, but in reality we know very little about what forces move our lives into certain directions. It is why, whenever something unexpected happens, be it good or bad, we are left wondering; what did I do to deserve this? Well, it's important for you to understand that in life, things don’t always turn out as we plan them. Life isn’t always what we think it will be.

So what does all this imply for our ability to make meaningful choices? How can we make informed decisions if we cannot even oversee all the variables? It is perhaps why we long for immortality,

for infinite time to figure out the right path and infinite chances to correct ourselves if we take a wrong turn. But I think this is where we have to consider Nemo gift, for Nemo is not like everyone else.

The point is that when faced with a difficult choice, knowing everything that will happen is just as paralyzing as not knowing what will happen. A philosopher Ruth Chang exposes a fundamental flaw in how we approach decision-making. Basically, she explains that we tend to make choices by weighing alternatives against each other, and judging whether one option is better than, equal to, or worse than another. And while this may be a reasonable approach for easier decisions, when it comes to the hard choices in our lives, where do we live? Who do we marry? what career do we pursue? This approach often falls short.

That's why the choice is hard. What distinguishes these kind of choices is that they do not become easier even if the outcomes are clearer. Nemo’s omniscience showed him every possible path,

but this couldn’t tell him if the love for his mother was more valuable than the love for his father, it couldn’t tell him if the heartbreak from Anna leaving was worse than that of Elise’s depression, in short; it couldn’t tell him which path was the right path, and here lies the crux of the problem; we are searching for meaning outside of ourselves, for external reasons to support these difficult decisions.

“Every path is the right path.

Everything could've been anything else.

And it would have just as much meaning”

And so instead of desperately searching the universe for guidance, for that one sign or reasonable argument telling us what we should do, it is we ourselves who have to make our choices meaningful. So the lesson of hard choices: reflect on what you can put your agency behind, on what you can be for, and through hard choices, become that person. This is no easy task, even if we believe we are on the right path, there will be mistakes, there will be sorrow.

We all experience moments of regret, moments where we feel life has passed us by, where we long for that reset button to give us another chance; another chance to say what we really meant, to show courage when we were afraid, to be the person we really wanted to be. But if we truly act from the heart, if we base our decisions on our innermost voices, we will also experience something else. We will find that if we want to, if we choose to, it is possible to love, to be loved, and to experience moments of genuine happiness, moments in which it becomes absolutely clear that, even if it is for a brief instance in an infinite universe, our lives can be profoundly meaningful. I'm not afraid of dying, I'm just scared that I haven't lived enough.